Georgia Bulldogs
The Top 2 Teams
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Finally, the coast is clear to make grand proclamations about the upcoming SEC football season. The transfer portal has closed (at least for departures), and there are no season-changing athletes on the market.
So, as we unwind this offseason and take a look around, here are two grand proclamations:
- The SEC’s two best teams are clearly Texas and Georgia, and in that order.
- After that, it’s wide open.
What did we expect? The two best teams are the two that made the conference championship game and were the last two SEC teams in the College Football Playoff.
It’s just the obvious conclusion, especially after a spring that saw both programs only solidify their spots, especially through the portal.
When predicting third place and onward, a glut of candidates exists and none is a clear favorite? Inevitably, some team will emerge to challenge or perhaps leapfrog Texas and Georgia, maybe there’s more than one team who does it.
At this stage, picking teams requires a confidence level that today’s facts don’t match. There are plenty of candidates with plenty of flaws among them. There will be carnage in any SEC schedule; each team saw plenty of injuries last year, and this year’s slate is essentially the same, just with the home sites flipped.
Texas and Georgia meet on Nov. 15 in Athens. They met in October last year and managed a rematch in Atlanta. That they could do so again was buttressed by their offseasons.
Texas: In perhaps the smoothest quarterback transition ever, Arch Manning steps in after two years of occasional starts for Quinn Ewers, who played well for Texas but wasn’t so irreplaceable that the NFL deigned to pick him in the first six rounds of the NFL draft.
The Longhorns then armed Manning this spring with help from the Bay Area: receiver Emmet Mosley V (Stanford) and tight end Cal Endries (Cal). These additions will pair with Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore returning this season, both finishing in the top five in receiving yards on last year’s team .
On defense, Texas signed five defensive linemen between the two portal periods. Right now, they have one of the best front sevens in college football, if not the best.
Between that, the projected passing game and the program’s status as the only team to make the last two CFPs.
Not to mention their surprisingly manageable schedule this year, it’s easy to pick the Longhorns as national preseason No. 1.
Georgia: Kirby Smart has never been heavy on the portal.
He prefers to use it strategically. This year’s portal haul is consistent to previous years, but this year, especially if Georgia ends up returning to the national championship game, transfers will be the reason they got there.
The post-winter window was successful enough. Georgia needed receivers and got them: Noah Thomas (Texas A&M) out wide and Zachariah Branch (USC) in the slot, plus Zachariah’s brother Zion Branch and two others for depth at safety.
The post-spring window may have been just as big.
Elo Modozie (Army) could start right away, and tailback Josh McCray (Illinois) gives the Bulldogs an experienced tailback, which was badly needed after Trevor Etienne went pro.
These weren’t eye-popping, multi-million-dollar deals, but they shored up weak spots.
Also, Georgia didn’t lose any key players in the post-spring window AND didn’t suffer any long-term injuries during spring practice.
Georgia’s roster is fortified for another national championship run, with things depending on two spots: starting quarterback Gunner Stockton and a young offensive line. The theme of spring practice was that the team feels good about Stockton.
There’s no guarantee Texas or Georgia win the conference title or even make the Playoff, but would you bet against it?
As things stand now, they are clearly the two best teams in the SEC. And the teams who emerge behind or through them will be fascinating to watch.
Well over half the league has an argument to make a push into the top tier, and that should make for a compelling season.
The Future QB
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jared Curtis, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, is officially back on board with the University of Georgia.
After decommitting from the Bulldogs last year, the five-star standout from Nashville Christian School made his return to the Dawgs during a commitment ceremony on May 5th that was anything but low-key.
Curtis walked into the gym early wearing a sleek all-black tracksuit, with his parents dressed in long black coats. The big moment came when he shared the news and rolled a commitment video on the big screen above the gym floor. Oregon made a serious push, but Georgia came out on top.
So why did Curtis choose to recommit to the Bulldogs? It came down to coaching. “Just the stability in the coaching staff and knowing Coach Smart and Coach Mike Bobo are there,” he said. “Those are my two biggest commitments at UGA.” Curtis said that consistency meant more to him than anything else, including NIL money.
With his commitment, Georgia’s 2026 recruiting class got a big boost, going from No. 25 to No. 17 in the national rankings. He’s the first five-star in the class for the Dawgs, but he might not be the last.
Georgia’s hoping to pair Curtis with Jackson Cantwell, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive tackle and the No. 1 overall recruit in the class. Cantwell is a large human being.
If Georgia can land Cantwell too, they’d have the top quarterback and the top lineman in the country. That combination could put UGA on track to have the best recruiting class in the nation, just like when they signed Matthew Stafford back in 2006.
Speaking of Stafford, that’s the name that keeps coming up when people talk about Curtis. The comparisons make sense. Both are big, strong-armed quarterbacks who weren’t afraid to take chances.
Curtis is listed at 6-3 and 225 pounds and is known for throwing darts all over the field. He’s not necessarily a run first guy, but he moves well, throws on the run, and has serious arm talent. It feels cliché to say this, but I don’t think there is a throw he can’t make.
Also, like Stafford, Curtis has that “gunslinger” mentality. I’ve watched a bunch of his highlight reels and he is definitely not afraid to take risks and try to make something happen, even if it means forcing a throw now and then.
He had a game this past fall with a perfect stat line. In Nashville Christian’s 53-point win over rival Clarksville Academy, he went 16 for 16 with 259 passing yards and 5 total touchdowns.
If you have some time to kill, do yourself a favor and type his name into the search bar on YouTube. You can thank me later.
This cat is the kind of quarterback who can take over a game, and he’s the kind of player Georgia fans should be excited about.
In today’s college football world, five-star quarterbacks usually come with big-dollar deals. According to reports, Curtis will be part of a strong NIL package at Georgia that will include revenue sharing, endorsement deals, and collective support, but Curtis is adamant that money wasn’t the driving factor. His agent said NIL probably made up only 10-15% of the decision.
“If Jared was chasing the best compensation package, this may have been over a long time ago,” said Peter Webb, his agent.
In fact, neither Georgia nor Oregon had the highest offer. Curtis chose Georgia because of relationships, not cash.
For head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, this is a massive win. They brought Curtis back into the fold and now have him leading the charge for more elite talent.
With momentum building and top recruits still on the board, the Bulldogs could be in for a huge 2026 class. It looks like Georgia just got its quarterback of the future.
G-Day
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Georgia Bulldogs recently played the G-Day Spring game. That is significant because some programs like Nebraska have chosen not to play a spring game.
With the transfer portal some teams say that causes other programs to poach players. That is why the UGA spring game was not televised.
This game featured the Red Team (No. 1 offense/second team defense) against the Black Team (No. 1 Defense/second team offense). The Red Team won 34-17. The announced attendance for the game was 35,003.
The offense had 88 pass attempts and just 44 rushing attempts. Gunner Stockton took every rep with the first-team offense in the first half. Defenders aren’t able to hit the quarterback, while it often plays very vanilla coverage and rarely blitzes.
Projected starting quarterback Gunner Stockton passed for 309 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception and he completed 50% of his pass attempts.
Backup QB Ryan Puglisi had 49 pass attempts. He was inconsistent but he did throw a touchdown pass to Colbie Young on his first chance playing with the starting offense. He did throw an interception that was picked off by Dominick Kelly shortly before halftime.
Third-string quarterback Colter Ginn led a touchdown drive to start the second half. He threw a seven-yard TD to London Humphrey’s.
“Some good and bad for both, but that’s the way spring games go,” Kirby Smart said. “We’ve got to play some loose plays, throw the ball around, got to do some two-minute.
Excited about the guys that got to play. We’ve got a lot of work to do in terms of offseason and getting ourselves where we need to be for next year, but a lot of the mid-years got valuable minutes. I can remember when mid-years kind of went with the threes and fours, and now it seems like more of them are going with the twos.
“That’s just the way of college football right now.”
The defensive backs looked good in this game. Daniel Harris prevented a deep pass to Noah Thomas on the opening drive. He intercepted Stockton in the end zone later in the first quarter.
The leading receiver for the first-team offense was Dillon Bell. He had 5 receptions for 78 yards. He also had a 13-yard rush to showcase how versatile he is. Junior London Humphreys had 4 receptions, 77 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“London’s very smart,” Smart said of Humphreys after the scrimmage. “He doesn’t have a lot of anxiety, he’s very mature, and he’s good for those kids in that (group) because he works really hard.”
Kicker Peyton Woodring made field-goal attempts of 44 and 35 yards. Liam Badger made a 23-yard field goal.
The offensive line was missing Monroe Freeling and Daniel Calhoun, as both recover from injury.
The defensive line is very young and they were in a tough position dealing with 88 pass attempts. They lost a lot of talent to the upcoming 2025 NFL draft so they need to gain more experience.
“We (have) got to get better,” said Smart when asked about all the redshirt freshmen playing on the offensive and defensive lines.
The Bulldogs will open the 2025 season August 30th at home against Marshall.
Wrong Turn
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Nitro Tuggle was arrested early on March 25 on two misdemeanor charges: reckless driving and speeding-maximum limits.
He was booked into Athens-Clarke County jail just before 2 a.m., with his bond set at $26.
Georgia announced that Tuggle has been suspended indefinitely. He will be a sophomore this season and has become one of many UGA football players to be arrested on driving-related charges.
Georgia also announced that Marques Easley, a second-year offensive lineman, is suspended indefinitely. Easley was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct after crashing in front of an apartment complex with no injuries.
The situation involving Georgia offensive lineman Marques Easley has taken another turn.
Easley was arrested in Oconee County on Friday and was charged with reckless conduct and reckless driving. According to jail records, the 19-year-old was booked at 4:35 p.m. on Friday and released at 5:04 p.m. on a $1,000 bond. The details regarding Easley’s class were made public on Friday.
According to the crash report from the incident, Easley’s 2021 Dodge Challenger was traveling west on Redwood Lane in Watkinsville in what the reporting officer described as “a reckless regard” on Monday.
Easley lost control of the vehicle, which began to rotate clockwise and run off the roadway before striking a power distribution box with its front. The vehicle then struck the passenger side of a second vehicle — a 2013 Hyundai Elantra — with its driver’s side.
Per the report, that impact caused the Elantra to strike a third vehicle — a 2018 Mercedes Benz CLA — with its driver side.
The Challenger’s impact with the Elantra caused the Challenger to hit the front of 1313 Redwood Lane with its front before it came to a final rest.
Per the report, Easley told the reporting officer he lost control of the car while “traveling between 25-30 MPH prior to the crash.” The crash report states that “the investigating troopers found this to be an inaccurate account of [what] happened due to the amount of damage from the crash and the fact that [Easley’s Challenger] had tire marks going back an estimated 200 feet.”
“The tire marks were consistent with a vehicle laying drag,” the report stated.
Easley was taken to Piedmont Athens Regional due to the accident, though the details of his injuries were not listed in the crash report.
A second Georgia player — cornerback Ondre Evans — was listed on the crash report among the six occupants involved. Evans was not taken to the hospital following the accident.
The crash report states that Easley was given three citations for the incident: one for reckless driving and two for reckless conduct causing harm to or endangering the bodily safety of another.
Easley’s arrest is the 10th known arrest of a Georgia football player for driving-related offenses since the big incident in January 2023: player Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in a high speed car accident.
LeCroy was found to be over the legal drinking limit and racing with Jalen Carter, who pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and therefore did not serve any jail time.
Coach Smart said last summer that the program was doing several things to limit, then eliminate these persistent driving issues with players.
Guest speakers have made several appearances to the team and Georgia’s collective is set to withhold payments to the players. Smart called the fines “substantial”.
Super Dawgs
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I spend a lot of my time talking with folks that love all levels of football just as much as I do.
For the casual southern sports fan, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of general excitement for this year’s version of Super Sunday.
When the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this Sunday, February 9th in New Orleans, they’ll be chasing NFL history — a chance to pull off a three-peat and claim their third straight Lombardi Trophy.
Seven teams have gone back-to-back, but no one’s ever pulled off the elusive triple crown. Despite the historic implications, some fans are admittedly feeling a little “Chiefs fatigue.” After all, when the same team keeps winning, it can be tough to stay excited—just ask those who lived through the Patriots or Warriors dynasties.
Even Patrick Mahomes’ magic and the past season’s wild crossover with Taylor Swift’s fanbase haven’t kept everyone hooked.
But here’s a reason for southern sports fans, especially those of us here in Georgia, to get hyped for this Super Bowl: The Eagles’ defense is basically Bulldogs 2.0.
Over the past two drafts, Philadelphia loaded up on Georgia talent to build a defensive powerhouse.
It started in 2022 when the Eagles snagged defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean, two key pieces from Georgia’s dominant national title-winning squad.
Then in 2023, they went back to Athens for defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Nolan Smith, and cornerback Kelee Ringo.
Just last month, they added safety Lewis Cine from the Bills’ practice squad. That’s six Bulldogs on one NFL roster. Talk about a Dawg Pound.
And it’s not just for show — these guys are making an impact.
Carter has been a beast on the line with 4.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and a Pro Bowl nod.
Smith broke out in his second year with 6.5 sacks.
Even Ringo, who hasn’t seen as much action on defense, made a name for himself on special teams and earned a Pro Bowl alternate spot.
While Dean is sidelined with an injury, the rest of the Georgia crew is holding down the fort for a defense that allowed the fewest yards per game and the second-fewest points this season.
This isn’t just about talent; it’s about chemistry. These guys have been through the battles together, winning back-to-back college championships under head coach Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann. That built-in trust is paying off in the NFL.
Schumann even joked that until the Eagles field an entire defense of Bulldogs, other players will have to contribute too — but you get the sense he wouldn’t mind seeing it.
Now the question is whether this Georgia-fueled defense can shut down Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce on the biggest stage. If they do, it might be time for Philly to send some honorary Super Bowl rings back to Athens.
And for even more local flavor, don’t forget that one of the starting cornerbacks for the Philadelphia Eagles is former Brunswick High School standout, Darius Slay.
So, if you’re not feeling the Chiefs storyline this year, the Eagles defense is a pretty compelling reason to tune in.
It’s got Georgia fingerprints all over it and could end up being a championship-winning unit at the next level.
And hey, if that happens, the Bulldogs’ legacy will officially stretch from college football glory to NFL dominance.
Not too shabby for a bunch of Dawgs.
Bye Bye Beck
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Carson Beck committed to Miami on Friday. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound QB is headed to Coral Gables for his final year of eligibility.
Beck started 13 games for Georgia in 2024. He completed 290 passes on 448 attempts — a 64.7 completion percentage — for 3,485 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He threw for 7,912 yards with 58 touchdowns and 20 interceptions during his time as a Bulldog.
Beck entered the 2024 season as a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, but his play early in the year did not meet the lofty goal. Beck threw 7 total touchdowns in Georgia’s first two games before throwing for a measly 160 yards and no touchdowns in a 13-12 thriller at Kentucky.
The situation got worse at Alabama, where Beck threw 3 interceptions and fumbled in a 41-34 loss for the Bulldogs.
Beck threw 2 touchdowns against Auburn before throwing 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against Mississippi State.
His turnover issues came into focus again on Oct. 19 against Texas, when he did not throw for a single touchdown and threw 3 picks in a 30-15 victory for the Bulldogs.
Beck explained prior to the SEC title game that the first Texas game was an eye opener in terms of what he should and should not do with the football.
“You go back and you watch that game, and there’s just some situations where maybe I was trying to force the ball when it didn’t need to and maybe trying to make plays when they weren’t there,” Beck said.
“I think that’s one thing that I’ve really improved on as we’ve gotten into this kind of later half of the season, is not trying to do too much and just playing within myself and playing within the offense. Knowing when to try to make a play and knowing when to just chalk it up and move on to the next one. There’s three downs to get a first down for a reason. You don’t have to try to get it all in one play, and I think I’ve done a better job at that in this second half of the season.”
Beck threw 3 interceptions two weeks later against Florida and from there his turnover issues subsided.
He threw 1 interception the following week at Ole Miss and zero in his final four games of the year, all of which were Georgia victories.
Beck’s season came to a close following a big hit during the SEC championship game back on Dec. 7.Beck was injured on the final play of the first half of the SEC title game against Texas.
Beck was hit by Trey Moore on a last-second Hail Mary attempt, which led to Beck falling awkwardly on his left arm. Beck stayed down on the turf momentarily and was tended to by UGA trainers before he stood up by himself and headed to the locker room.
He did not throw another pass after sustaining the injury in the conference title game, but he was not done for the day. He checked back in for what was ultimately the game’s final play after Gunner Stockton had to leave for one play due to his helmet coming off.
Beck underwent elbow surgery on Dec. 23, which means he will not resume throwing until the spring. He was present for Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.
Beck initially declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 28. He changed his course of action on Jan. 9 and instead entered the transfer portal.
Beck joins a Hurricanes team hungry to make the College Football Playoff under alum Mari Cristobal. The Hurricanes went 10-2 in the 2024 regular season, which left them at No. 13 in the final CFP ranking.
Beck replaces Cam Ward, who, like Beck, had declared for the draft before deciding to enter the portal and land at Miami.
Ward is considered by many to be the eventual top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after throwing for 4,313 yards with 39 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
The rumor is Miami is forking out 4 million compared to his current deal with Georgia at 2.5 million.
Beck can now afford 2 Lamborghinis!
New Tricks Needed?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The signs were always there. The Alabama game. The Ole Miss game. Even plenty of victories: Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and the SEC Championship Game.
It all left everyone, including those within the Georgia football program, questioning if this was a group that actually would keep the legacy going to another championship.
We got that answer in the College Football Playoff. It was definitive. Georgia was not the best team in the country this year and they deserved their fate.
Now it leads to the next mystery: Was this game, and rocky season a kick in the butt to the program? Was this season a message that Georgia’s not the elite it was two years ago?
Does leadership need to change goals and make moves to avoid slipping further?
Although Georgia was ultimately still the SEC champion, they lost in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals when they were down to their backup quarterback.
Kirby Smart said some curious things after the loss to Notre Dame. Let’s start with his post-mortem on the season, which he called “Easily the toughest of my tenure.” That may be a bit of recency bias.
The truth reared its ugly face at The Bulldogs, and it said: Get better as a football program. Let Kirby’s above words sit and remember people- it’s not a second-year coach trying to get his program to another level, but the ninth-year coach of a team that won two of the previous three national titles.
Maybe on some level Kirby Smart mirrors his mentor Nick Saban with the mentality of always trying to improve, even when on top. Or maybe this year’s team is a reflection that this program isn’t on top right now.
There’s no clear answer. You can argue that transfer rules and paying players have changed the game.
The Big Ten and Notre Dame having three of the four semifinalists feed into that argument. But the 2022 season wasn’t that long ago, right? It’s not like this was a crashing disappointment for the Dawgs: They’re 4-1 against teams that made the Playoffs, the only one they lost was in the Playoffs.
There was just something missing, and Smart’s job is to figure out what that was, and to what extent does this team need to change.
Now for some apparent good news: Gunner Stockton looks like a viable starter for 2025-26. His pocket presence needs to improve, but that should grow with experience.
The underrated gap between Carson Beck and Stockton, in a start of this magnitude, may have been game management and making checks at the line, which Stockton acknowledged.
But if it is Stockton, the coaches need to acquire help around them. QBs and Coaches need receivers who won’t drop the ball. Georgia was burned during this portal window by receivers unsure of the identity or throwing ability of Georgia’s quarterback next season.
Maybe Stockton’s play helps convince recruits and transfers.
Let’s be clear. There is risk in overstating what happened in this game. Georgia outgained the Irish and averaged more yards. They reached the red zone more often. It’s not like this was a domination. Georgia belonged on the same field, but Georgia should be the more mature program in the building; all evidence says they were.
Instead, Georgia committed the game’s only two turnovers, gave up a 98-yard kickoff return because of missed tackles, and coach Smart made risks that backfired.
Looking back, much of Georgia’s problem was being outplayed by Notre Dame, especially in the second half, when UGA approached the cusp of another epic comeback and failed: The defense made a big fourth-down stop, handing the offense the ball at midfield. A 10-point game, plenty of time left, momentum at Georgia’s back. But the Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize, with go-nowhere plays on third-and-3 and fourth-and-2.
That was yet another mystery about this team. Stockton, whose arm was the question coming in, passed for 234 yards and looked pretty good for a new starter. Georgia just couldn’t run the ball, despite Notre Dame being without its best defensive player, lineman Rylie Mills. The Dawgs also did not protect well, yielding four sacks.
The offense will remain the focus. The defense can reload by retaining the talented youngsters who understudied this year. This Bulldog team will still be young, and this year’s inconsistent play showed that Georgia doesn’t have a birthright to elite defenses in today’s College Football Landscape.
Georgia isn’t automatically elite just because of rings in 2021 and 2022. They aren’t automatically elite as long as Smart is coach, he is starting to lose.
Although optimism still reigned in a losing locker room, do they deserve optimism with this result?
What did this loss mean for the program? Was it a hit to the ego?
Gunner?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
How well Gunner Stockton will perform is still unclear.
As the world finds out about him off the field, Stockton’s a Georgia folk hero, his bona fide attributes are being filled in: his small-town roots, how he got his name, the fact he drives a 1984 Ford pickup. Stockton keeps four or five cows back home in Rabun County, which has become a running joke with some of his Georgia teammates.
There is no known correlation between bovine ownership and quarterback ability, and in less than a week, Georgia faces off against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Here are a few football-centric takeaways from Saturday, the day before Georgia leaves for New Orleans. After offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and four of his players met with members of the media.
Georgia guard Tate Ratledge forgot something at the team facility one night this week, and when he went back to get it at 10 p.m., he saw Stockton still there, watching film.
That wasn’t that unusual, according to Delp, who said Stockton watched film for four to five hours after practices in the regular season, not knowing if he would even play as the No. 2 quarterback.
Bobo said he could tell Stockton “took to heart” that he needed to prepare each week like a starter. That helped him seamlessly replace Carson Beck in the second half of the SEC Championship Game by leading a touchdown drive right away.
Stockton possessed a game plan focused on Beck’s pocket-passing skills and integrated into UGA’s high-performing offense seamlessly.
The extra time to adjust and prepare should be a big help for the offense. Before Georgia knew they would play Notre Dame, Georgia’s “back to basics” approach during the first week of practice kept Stockton in more situational drills: two-minute, third-down and red zone.
It helped Stockton lead the offense, rather than serving as the understudy or scout-team veteran.
“Now I can tell he has full control of this huddle,” Ratledge said.
That said, the spark was already there when Stockton came in during the SEC Championship Game. The past few weeks of practice seemed to have cemented it.
“Just seeing the way he’s carried himself and done everything the right way in his prior years leading up to this moment, Gunner’s just a guy you want to block for,” Ratledge said.
“He’s just a great guy, plays with a lot of emotion, brings everybody with him, and now he has the whole team behind him, ready to roll.”
The offense hasn’t had a sterling year: Georgia ranks 30th in scoring and 42nd in yards per play. But four of its games have been against defenses ranked in the top 10 nationally, with two others in the top 20.
This is Bobo’s second year back as the coordinator. When he met the media this time in 2023, it was after a better statistical year, but the team didn’t have a chance at a championship. This time, Bobo still has a chance to set the narrative.
Georgia has two new tailback injuries: Roderick Robinson and Branson Robinson are both expected to miss the rest of the Playoff with unspecified injuries sustained during practice.
That ends injury-riddled seasons for both players and removes the team’s most physical runners.
It hasn’t been a great rushing season anyway, as Bobo acknowledged. Georgia is only 11th in the SEC in rushing yards per attempt and 15th in total rushing yards per game.
Georgia was in the top three the previous three seasons and was once known as Tailback U., including during Bobo’s first stint as offensive coordinator.
The offensive line is pretty much in full health now. Etienne is, too, and with Nate Frazier, Georgia has two dynamic options out of the backfield, while Cash Jones is a veteran blocker and pass catcher. With Stockton at quarterback, a better running game is needed against Notre Dame.
Play Defense and run the ball are keys to Georgia’s victory.
Georgia 23 Notre Dame 13.
Playoff Predictor
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Georgia Bulldogs are heading into the College Football Playoff with a lot of momentum after taking down Texas in the SEC Championship.
What a game that was, a 22-19 overtime thriller that saw quarterback Carson Beck leave the contest with an injured elbow, only to return on the final, game-winning play.
The Dawgs have now landed the No. 2 seed in the 12-team CFP bracket, right behind No. 1 Oregon.
While being the top seed is usually the goal, this time, being No. 2 might actually work out better for the mean machine in red and black.
The Bulldogs have a first-round bye and will kick off their playoff run in the quarterfinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Their first opponent will be the winner of a matchup between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 10 Indiana.
Neither team has proven much this season. Indiana only faced one tough opponent, Ohio State, and lost 38-15.
Notre Dame’s best win was a road victory over Texas A&M back in Week 1, but they also suffered an embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois at home.
For Georgia fans, even with the uncertainty surrounding Carson Beck, this setup is about as good as it gets.
If Georgia makes it past the quarterfinals, they’ll face either No. 3 Boise State, No. 6 Penn State, or No. 11 SMU in the semifinals.
While these teams have had strong seasons, none of them should really scare the Bulldogs.
Georgia’s depth, experience, and talent give them the upper hand in these matchups, setting them up well for a spot in the title game.
The real challenge for Georgia is waiting on the other side of the bracket. That’s where teams like Oregon, Texas, Ohio State, Tennessee, Arizona State, and Clemson are battling it out.
Oregon is the toughest opponent in the field, and Georgia would be underdogs against them.
Matchups with Texas or Ohio State would be close, but the Bulldogs are favored against Tennessee, Arizona State, and Clemson.
Looking at the odds, Georgia has a 75.5% chance to beat Clemson, 66.9% against Arizona State, and 63.6% against Tennessee.
Games against Texas and Ohio State are more of a coin flip, with Georgia’s chances sitting at 50.4% and 49.6%, respectively.
Oregon is the toughest draw, with Georgia having just a 45.7% chance to win.
The good news? Georgia won’t have to face those tougher teams until the championship game, giving them a smoother path than most.
The wildcard in any of these playoff scenarios is the health of Carson Beck. The quarterback is currently dealing with an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, which is his throwing arm. Georgia released a statement on Monday confirming the injury and shared that Beck and his family are exploring treatment options. At this time, there’s no clear timeline for his return.
If Beck is unable to play, Georgia is likely to rely on sophomore Gunner Stockton.
Stockton, a former four-star prospect out of Rabun County High School, stepped in during the SEC Championship game, completing 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards.
While he threw an interception that contributed to Texas tying the game, Stockton also delivered key moments, particularly with his mobility. In overtime, his 8-yard run helped set up Georgia’s game-winning touchdown.
After the win over Texas, teammates expressed confidence in Stockton’s ability to manage the offense. Georgia appears ready to adapt as they move forward in the postseason.
While no playoff game is ever a guaranteed win, Georgia’s bracket setup gives them a solid shot at making it back to the National Championship.
With Kirby Smart at the helm and a favorable draw, the Bulldogs have every reason to feel good about their chances to bring another title home to Athens. It’s going to be an exciting ride, but Georgia fans have plenty to be confident about as the playoff kicks off!
The Bulldogs will play next in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 1st in New Orleans. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:45pm EST.
All Bark?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
If anyone’s wondering how important Georgia’s showdown against Tennessee is on Saturday, let me tell you.
Win, and all is OK, full steam ahead to the College Football Playoffs and perhaps even a National Championship.
Lose, this season is set, but not in a good way.
It’s not ideal for any team to lose football games, but it happens. It’s much less ideal to try to clean up two viral messes from that loss. It’s even less ideal to field a question about whether to change quarterbacks.
The first viral moment: Carson Beck, starting and beleaguered quarterback, was spotted smiling on the bench as he spoke with backup quarterback Jaden Rashada during the fourth quarter of Georgia’s 28-10 loss to Ole Miss (UGA’s largest point margin loss in five years).
The visual was seized as a symbol of what’s wrong with Beck and perhaps the entire Bulldog football team.
The optics were poor and out of context: Harlen Rashada, Jaden’s father, posted, showing the moment before, Beck not smiling, Jaden Rashada telling him something that made him laugh.
Here the internet had birthed yet another out-of-context viral moment.
Beck’s on-field play has noticeably regressed. The easy excuse is he wasn’t focused during the offseason, between his Lambo and his personal life. Beck told me in the spring he wasn’t working any less, he was taking time to enjoy life after four years of hard work, which he certainly had earned.
We have seen many young athletes enjoy their life as a college student, and still thrive on the field.
It also feels invalid to attribute the offensive troubles to Beck’s leadership. He’s never been a rah-rah quarterback, and Stetson Bennett wasn’t either.
The difference might be the leaders around Beck. Nobody appears to have filled the void left by center Sedrick Van Pran. There isn’t an obvious alpha personality on the other side of the ball the way this year’s defense has Jalen Walker.
But the defense shouldn’t be absolved of blame, either. It came up huge in the wins over Texas and Clemson but also gave up big plays at Ole Miss, started soft against Alabama and has earned a reputation of inconsistency, ranking eighth in the SEC in defensive yards per play.
It’s not like a great defense is being wasted. A ton of world-class athletes on defense aren’t playing to their potential. Luckily for them, there’s still time. There’s still time for the whole team.
In the wide scope of this season, going 10-2 with this schedule is perfectly acceptable.
The focus then moves to how Georgia performs in the Playoff, where pressure still waits, but the minimum threshold of making the dance has been hit.
Missing the Playoff, meanwhile, would in the kindest interpretation mean that Georgia was a flawed team undone by a brutal schedule.
The harsher takeaway would be that the schedule exposed a team that isn’t very good and the program has work to do this offseason to get back to status.
Even then, perspective is needed. This is a program that has won two of the past three national championships, then fell short but still went 13-1. If anyone has earned leeway to slip its Georgia.
If any coach has shown he can adapt and make needed changes, it’s Smart. Panicky fans need to touch grass.
Georgia may feel a lot better after Saturday. Through these years of winning Smart has loved to say that “humility is a week away.” Well, humility is here, and so is the chance for redemption.
